May 11-13, 2012
Thursday night after Wrights arrived in Seattle we
went up to Capitol Hill for some Pike Street Fish (fried calamari, oysters,
fish and fries) and then went to opening night of Seattle Beer Week at Elysian
Brew Pub. The split shot espresso milk stout was exceptional.
Friday
We stopped at Jack in the Box for a quick breakfast on
the road. Jackie convinced all to eat there so Chance wouldn’t bother the
ladies in the back seat.
We made it to Anacortes by 9:40am, but we were the #16
voucher hoping for a spot on the 10:30am ferry to Orcas. We missed the ferry.
Instead of spending lunch and a few hours in Anacortes waiting on the next
Orcas ferry at 3 something, we decided to take a sooner ferry to Lopez Island.
We could spend 1-2 hours there before catching a ferry from Lopez to Orcas
while still beating the later afternoon Anacortes-Orcas ferry to the terminal
by 5 minutes. Can you guess which car waiting on the ferry is ours?
The view of Mount Baker from the Anacortes ferry
terminal.
Kayak mounted on Xterra.
Ferry ride to Lopez Island.
Olympic Mountains.
Mount Baker again.
Seaplane.
View of Spencer Spit State Park, our destination on Lopez
Island, from the ferry boat.
Clams, mussels and geoduck season.
Spencer Spit State Park.
A replica
of the original log cabin built by the Spencer family for guests in the early
1900s.
Always classy Emily J
Chance enjoying roaming free.
Beach.
Jason skipping rocks.
We
drove into Lopez Village to find something to eat. We had lunch at Love Dog
Café on the porch under a trellis of lavender. I had an amazing salmon burger.
Time for ferry ride #2 of the day to Orcas Island.
Mount Baker.
Olympic Mountains.
Aww cute kayak Xterra. No problems getting on this ferry.
I took a lot of photos on the ferry.
We drove from the Orcas ferry terminal, through
Eastsound, to Moran State Park. We setup camp at the South End Campground on
Cascade Lake.
We then drove up Mount Constitution to the Observation Tower.
Nice Joe.
Lummi Island and Bellingham on the shoreline with Mount
Baker beyond.
Clark Island in the foreground.
I like towers.
Clark
Island, Lummi Island & Ferndale.
Sucia Island.
View at clearing further down Mount Constitution.
Deerasses as Emily calls the deer on Orcas Island.
Hiking to Cascade Falls.
Emily slipped and fell going back down a steep embankment
along the creek bed. She was laughing so I snapped a picture as I began to recognize
the words ‘Help’ amidst the laughing. She was stuck in a plank move and couldn’t
get up on her own without getting wet. Oops J
Our campsite view on Cascade Lake as the sunset.
Camp.
Dinner cooked over the fire.
Saturday
The Wrights getting in their kayak. USS Fatass
sails again.
Orcas Island north shore. The waters were so calm.
More of Emily & Jason.
So in sync!
Paddling closer to Doughty Point.
Lunch break at Doughty Point.
We saw a seal! 6 different occurrences so we claimed we
saw 6 over lunch.
Goofy group picture when Emily couldn’t make it
in time.
Group kayak picture.
More paddling.
No whale sightings, but sunbathing seals! Maybe there
really were 6 different seals at lunch.
Doesn’t get much better than this.
Seas were a little rough heading back.
We were further from shore. The Wrights had a shorter
front to their kayak. Many waves came crashing over the front onto Emily. After
Emily squealing 5 times, Jackie put on her skirt to avoid the same freezing wet
feeling Emily was. The Wrights pulled into Point Doughty again to empty water
out of the boat and for Emily to wring out her clothes. Thankfully our second
skirt fit around her kayak hole so she was able to wear it the rest of the
paddle.
Getting around Point
Doughty in the rough seas was a battle. We all had to paddle as hard as we
could to keep from getting sucked back to the point by the currents. I hope we
don’t experience seas like that anytime soon.
After kayaking we head into Eastsound as the
Farmer’s Market was wrapping up.
The guys picked up some fresh clams and a bottle of wine from
a local grocery in Eastsound to have as an afternoon snack back at the campsite.
Ice Cream overlooking East Sound.
We went to check out Rosario Resort, the historic mansion
home of Robert Moran. Moran was a prominent shipbuilder and mayor of Seattle during
the Great Fire of 1889 and the rebuilding efforts. He retired on Orcas Island
for his health for a less stressful life. The mansion is now a museum, giving
visitors a step back in time. While we were there in the Music Room was a musical
history concert on the 1,972 pipe Aeolian organ.
After that we went back to the campsite for a snack and
showers. Roughing it does not mean we can’t eat good food: clams
Somehow Jason convinced Joe to go for a swim in Cascade
Lake before their showers.
It was cold.
‘Why do I always believe you when you say it’s not that
cold’
Chance laying down at camp while the boys shower and the
girls finish off the clams and bottle of wine.
We drove over to Doe Bay Café for dinner. They had a wait
and many reservations, but the hostess was kind enough to seat us outside on
the patio as the sunset.
Drinks! Cheers! Lazyboy in Everett down the street from
house makes a great Belgian ale.
Oysters on a half shell caught locally from Buck Bay less
than a mile away served with orange-champagne mignonette granita.
Emily was convinced to have any oyster.
Emily
needed a wine chaser.
It was a good thing we were sitting outside. Emily was
enjoying her wine and convincing this little girl to ride the deer statue.
Emily’s got the giggles….hehe
There was a misfire in the kitchen so they brought out 2
of our entrees as a bonus for us all to try.
This was my agnolotti with foraged meal of mushrooms, nettles
(stinging nettles) and other greens.
Joe’s halibut and potatoes.
Jason’s cod.
Emily’s pizza with red onion marmalade and gruyere.
The night would not have been complete without Emily
riding the deer herself.
She finally stopped laughing for a normal picture.
For dessert we had cheesecake with rhubarb sauce topping.
Finger licking good meal.
The last flickers of sunset colors on Cascade Lake back
at the campsite.
It was harder to keep the fire going tonight.
Roasted marshmellows between chocolate chip cookies,
Split Shot Milk Stout and cigars…
Sunday
The morning view from the campsite.
We packed up camp and headed toward the Orcas ferry
terminal to get in line for the ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.
We had breakfast at the Orcas Hotel.
Our table view. A hummingbird stopped by as well as a
bunny.
Mmm bisquits and gravy.
Ferry ride #3 bound to Friday Harbor.
Checking texts to know how the 2 newest boys to the clan
were doing.
We decided we wanted to own this island.
Approaching Friday Harbor.
Cattle Point.
Olympic Mountains and Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Wildflowers and shoreline.
Lime Kiln.
Kelp.
Friday Harbor.
Old Ford.
Jason & I became dorks and discussed what kind of
work we do. Rain gardens, stormwater management, LEED inn, etc. I’ll spare you
the lengthy details.
Cask and Schooner.
Departing Friday Harbor for the mainland.
Ferry ride #4 to Anacortes with a stop at Lopez Island.
Coin toss during Lopez Island unloading/loading.
